Welcome to the second week of our organizing challenge to Love Your Home More! This week, we are working on The Entryway.
How did you do on your Week 1 Challenge: bedroom organization and cleaning? Did you find some dust bunnies under the bed? Did you turn your nightstand into a calming oasis, rather than a place to collect everything that has no place? We’d love to hear your wins and share them with the community!
Our Progress
We managed to wash all of the bedding to give it a fresh start, polished all of the furniture, cleaned under the bed and along the baseboards, dusted all of the built-ins and thought about tackling the closet. . . but didn’t. So, a solid start but there’s still work to be done! Even so, we’re excited to focus on the entryway this week.
This Week’s Plan
We’re excited because not only are we are tackling the entryway, but we’re also going to get a handle on whatever place you use to collect papers that need to be sorted! Yes! With so many of us home, this is the perfect time to get rid of that stack that sits and causes underlying stress as we pass it by all. day. long.
And while there might not be many visitors stopping by these days, an organized entryway can help us to feel settled and welcome in our spaces.
Let’s get started!
Evaluate The Situation
Before we can determine what needs to be changed, we must determine what is and isn’t working in our entryway spaces. How is our current storage situation working for papers, jackets, shoes, pet supplies, baby items, and anything else that accumulates near the door? What are some of the biggest hurdles that we have to overcome when using the space: do we have to move piles of papers off of the counter to be able to prepare dinner? Are we always searching for where we left our car keys? Do we need to find solutions for changing seasons? Or is our weather fairly moderate and consistent?
Tackle Paper Clutter
Although we live in a “paperless society”, we are bombarded with so much paper every single day. Mail. Kids’ school notices. Work papers. Bills. Bank statements. The list goes on. Even with a regular decluttering system, papers can build up quickly.
To tackle the problem, start by gathering all of the papers into one giant pile. We love to use the advice of professional organizers like Corinne from Grid and Glam. In her Paper Clutter Mini Bootcamp, she advises going through papers one by one, and asking the following questions:
- Is this an essential document?
- Can I find this online?
- Is this something I have to keep permanently? Or just as a temporary reminder?
- What’s the worst thing that happens if I get rid of it?
Asking these four simple questions for each piece of paper should help to eliminate the majority of bulk. Filing away the papers that must be kept permanently will eliminate another portion. We’ll be left with a pile of papers that we need to keep, but only for a short period of time. Most of these, we can add to a calendar to remind us of important dates and before we know it, our pile will be gone!
Brainstorm Storage Solutions
Depending on the size of our space, storage can be a challenge. In smaller spaces, cubbies, bins, bowls, and baskets may have to serve more than one purpose. The goal is to make whatever solution we develop something that is functional and attractive to look at. Wall hooks are great for keeping things like keys, leashes, hats, and scarves from ending up on counters or the floor. Baskets are great collectors of gloves, balls, and other smaller items. A charging station can be a great way to keep cords and devices in one place. The most important takeaway is that items should have a place to go when not in use. That is the key to maintaining an organized space over time.
For more ideas check out these resources:
14 Ideas for Creating a More Organized Entryway
Declutter Your Entryway with These Tips
And don’t forget to check out the first week of our series, filled with tips on organizing your bedroom!
Have any great tips to share? Leave a comment below!
